AFA Announces New Portal

The American Fence Association announces a new online member portal to better serve the needs of AFA members. Updates will allow easier navigation to update contact information, manage a company’s membership, register for events, join special interest groups and more. AFA will send emails to members soon for more information.

by Mark Levin, CAE, CSP

I am the first to admit that I am old school about many things. When I was growing up, my parents ran a small carry-out delicatessen/grocery store in Washington, D.C. It was there that my dad gave me many, many lessons on how to be a better businessperson; lessons I still try to live by today.

One such time was back in the early 60’s when I was working the lunch hour at our store with Dad. It was just the two of us, things were hectic. Almost all the lunch counter stools were full, and in walked Mr. Pete.

Mr. Pete was a retired gentleman who lived around the corner from the store. He was probably about 80 years old, and a man of absolute habits. He came into the store every weekday for lunch, at the same time. I think he is where the term “like clockwork” came from. He wore the same outfit every day: freshly ironed trousers, white shirt, and a bow tie. He walked with a cane. On his way, he bought a copy of the Washington Daily News He ordered the same thing for lunch, the daily luncheon special.

He knew the lunch and paper would cost him exactly $2 (remember, this was the 60’s). That is how much he could afford, living on his pension.

Mr. Pete always sat on his favorite stool, the one near the end of the counter. If someone were on his stool, he would wait, even if all the others were open. Often, Dad would ask customers to move down so Mr. Pete could have his favorite stool, as he did this day.

After being seated, Mr. Pete ordered his usual, started reading his paper, and commenced enjoying his lunch for about an hour as he gummed his food. He had no teeth and poor dentures. As the lunch crowd grew, Dad was busily cooking and serving the food and collecting the money, and I was busy cleaning the counter and washing dishes.

As I walked by Mr. Pete with an armload of dirty dishes and silverware, rushing to wash them in the back so they could be reused, he stopped gumming his food and said quietly, “How you doing, young fella?”